Amazon rumored to not include 3D in next tablet

But if the past is any indication of the future, Amazon will not be including 3D in any new tablet — regardless of whether the price point would be increased as a result of the technology. 3D isn’t considered all that important or, to be more charitable, exciting. If this turns out to be correct, Amazon will have missed a real chance, no make that an opportunity, to propel a new tablet into the forefront of the minds of jaded consumers who know and like 3D, but don’t see where it applies to a mobile device due to a small screen.

That attitude could change over the course of the next few months, though, as the Nintendo 3DS XL makes it way onto the shelves. The 3DS XL has a glasses free, 3D screen that is many times bigger than that of the 3DS. And with a price point of under $250 — which includes the “guts” for a whole passel of technologies, including a complete portable video game console with WiFi, a touch-sensitive screen and all kinds of other goodies — it’s fair to say that the cost of the 3D tech itself screen and associated would not be off-putting.

My guess is Amazon will not include a 3D display in a 2013 era product but could appear in 2014. Except for 3D games, the content picture for 3D is not there yet. Some argue that content won’t arrive until the devices, and the devices won’t arrive until there is 3D content!

3D content may emerge online first, as Google’s Youtube supports 3D today. When you see the quality of work done by emerging 2D video artists on Youtube, it is easy to see that similar 3D quality may follow soon enough. While some look to the growth of 3D from Hollywood or cable/satellite TV delivery, the future of video seems to be moving rapidly to online distribution – and out of the control of a few big corporations and into the hands of individuals.